From the beginning of autumn through New Year’s Day, family parties are planned to celebrate the holidays. These gatherings are known for delicious foods, gift giving, and game nights.  The holiday season also brings some risks to kids that warrant some planning for parents/guardians.  Parents often wonder how they can protect their kids during the season and focus on the joy of being together as a family.  The following are some general pointers to help you have the best holiday seasons with your teens:

1. Spend Time Connecting

Family parties are a wonderful time to connect! Kids and teens may get a chance to spend time with older siblings, cousins, or other relatives they don’t regularly visit with. Older relatives often love seeing and spending time with their grandchildren and other younger family members.  This is a wonderful opportunity for your teen to connect, but also can come with some risks.

2. Review Expectations with Older Siblings/Family Members

In general, teens idolize their older siblings and cousins. Make sure to set clear boundaries with these family members with regard to substance use.  That is, discuss the importance of keeping substances and alcohol away from teens during the festivities.

3. Make it Meaningful

In the spirit of giving, plan a project your family can work on to help others. Before your party, you can ask guests to bring items for a food pantry or homeless shelter. During the event, you can create and send cards to a local hospital. Some families participate in a gift exchange or spend some time talking about what they are grateful for. Focusing on your family’s values can help reinforce personal values for your teen.

Create opportunities for connection – one fun idea is to supply a list of questions the kids can ask the older adults about what their life was like when they were younger. The kids and teens can interview their relatives and help to fill in some of the mysteries of their family history. The older adults can ask questions and find out more about what the teens in their family like to do and what they are learning in school.

Kids and teens may also enjoy engaging in a video game competition (if you have a system that can play vintage games, like the Nintendo Classic, you may even get some of the adults involved in the games), play Cornhole, flag football, checkers, or chess. Some families have card games they enjoy playing together, or a special dessert or appetizer they make together for family parties.

4. Lock up the Alcohol/Prescription Medications/Substances

When guests come to your home, be sure to monitor alcohol, prescriptions medications, or other mind-altering substances.  Doing so will help you be at ease as you work to create a warm and loving environment for the holiday celebration.  Make sure that the kids are not in the direct vicinity of where the alcohol is being served, and keep the non alcoholic beverages away from the alcohol.

5. Have a Bartender

Sometimes, families benefit from having a third-party to monitor any alcohol being served. If this is not an option, appoint different hosts/guests to take turns monitoring the bar during the entire party. This person can be temporarily responsible for keeping an eye on any alcohol that may be left out.

6. Offer Fun Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Create non-alcoholic drinks that are fun for the kids and non-drinkers. Look up recipes online for enjoyable holiday mocktails!  Fancy umbrellas and fruit garnishes can turn any sober beverage into a party time favorite.

7. When Family Parties Aren’t Fun

When teens access substances at a holiday party, it can become a problem really quickly.  ASAP sees some of these situations arise on a yearly basis.  They include guest/family conflicts, damage to personal property, or in the worst situations a liability for host families. Some families choose to enjoy the festivities without alcohol and other mind-altering substances.  This can be beneficial in modeling to teens how much fun can be had during a party without alcohol/substances!

As always, if you have concerns that your teen may be using  alcohol or other drugs, it might be time to seek help. Education and treatment programs can help your child be able to remain sober, even during the holidays.